Marine life-saving apparatus



'Augf 6, 1,929. F. P. Gu'rows-Kl MARINE LIFE SAVING APPARATUS Filed4 July 5, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet IN VEN TOR.

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Aug. 6, 1 929. F. P. GUTowsKl MARINE LIFE SAVING APPARATUS Filed July 5,r 1928 4 sheets-sheet @ig r7.

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ATTO V55/Y Aug. 6, 1929. F. P. GUTowsKl MARINE LIFE SAVING APPARATUS Filed July 5, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

Unirse STATES FRANK PAUL GUTOWSKI, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

IYIARINE LIFE-SAVING A PARATUS.

Application filed July 5,

r vice which may be conveniently arranged upon a submarine or other vessel and which will, in the event of the sinking of the vessel, permit the release of a habitable water-tight esca-pe and rescue buoy or float, so that all but one of the occupants of the sunken vessel may escape therefrom and be safely carried to the surface of the water for being taken on board a rescuing vessel.

Still another object is to provide simple L) and efficient means for normally retaining and housing the escape and rescue buoy'. and for permitting its repeated use for successive rescue of the passengers and niembers of the ci'ew of the sunken vessel without danger of fiooding the latter, neaiis being provided to effect a ready and safe coininunication between the interior of the sunlien vessel and the escape and rescue buoy when the latter is lowered to receive occupants of said sunlren vessel.

Still another object is to provide efficient means for effecting and controlling the discharge and rise of the buoy to the surface of the water as well as its return to the sunken vessel for receiving further occupants thereof.

A still further object is to provide ineans of communication between a person in the escape and rescue buoy and persons on a rescuing vessel oi' within the sunken vessel, thereby greatly facilitating carrying out of the rescue worlr.

Yet another object is to provide a marine life saving apparatus of the above kind which is exceedingly simple, thoroughly reliabie in use, and so constituted as to permit the act of rescuing the occupants of a sunken vessel to be performed with facility.

The invention consists in the novel form, combination ancL arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanyingdrawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in central vertical longitudinal section, showing a marine life saying apparatus embodying the present` invention; the parts and devices being in their normal positions;

Figure 2 is a view somewhat similar to `8 rigid with the outer end thereof.

1928. Serial No. 290,614.

Figure 1 with the parts disposed as they appear after discharge of the escape and rescue buoy, the latter being omitted;

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the device as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4; is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section talren upon the line 4% of Figure 1, with the aarts of the buoy omitted;

Figure 5 is a transverse section on line 5*5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a similar view on line 6 6 of Figure l;

.Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on line 7 7 of F igure 1;

Figure 8 is an enlarged end elevation looking toward the left of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is an enlarged View, partly in central longitudinal section, and partly in elevati-on, of the escape and rescue buoy; and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary det-ail view showing the preferred manner of connecting the control cable to the escape and rescue buoy.

Referrino` more in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates the hull of a submarine vessel or the like which has an opening preferably in the side thereof, the wall 6 of this opening projecting inwardly in tapering form and having a stepped inner surface 7 to provide a seat for a closure plug 8 of similar forni. )tigid with and projecting inwardly from the wall 6 is an escape cylinder 9 having an entrance opening in its outer end portion and preferably in the top thereof as indicated clearly in Figure d at 10, said opening being provided 'ith a waterproof closure preferably in the nature of a hinged segmental door 11 having suitable means as at 12 for tightly seating the same in closed position to prevent the entrance of water into the interior of the vessel under certain conditions as will later become apparent.

Slidably fitted in the cylinder 9 is a sleeve valve 13 having a segment of its outer end portion cut away to form a top escape opening 14, and further having the closure plug This construction is such that when the sleeve valve 13 is entirely retracted within the cylinder 9, the plug 8 tightly engages the seat 7 in the hull 5 to prevent the entrance of water into the latter, and so that the escape opening 14 registers with the exit opening 10, to permit members of the crew or passengers of the vessel to gain access to and enter an escape and rescue buoy 15, when the door 11 is opened, said buoy being normally disposed within the sleeve valve 13 inwardly of the plug 3 as shown in Figure 1.

Slidably disposed in the inner end portion of the sleeve valve 13 is a plunger or ejecting piston 16 preferably having external packing rings 17 engageable with the inner surface of the sleeve valve 13 'to etfectively prevent the passage of water inwardly past said plunger or piston and into the interior of the vessel through the opening when the sleeve valve 13 and the Vpiston 16 are projected as shown in Figure 2. It is particularly noted that the inner end of the plug S is upwardly and outwardly inclined as at 13, while the outer end of the plunger 16 is similarly inclined as at 19. It is thus apparent that when the sleeve valve 13 is projected, the buoy 15 will be shifted outwardly through the opening of the hull, and when the plunge-r 16 is then projected, said buoy will be righted and ejected upwardly through the opening '14 in position to readily rise to the surface of the water as, and under certain controlling conditions that will later be made apparent. The buoy 15 is normally disposed with its operative upper end arranged outermost to ride upwardly along the inclined inner end 13 of the plug 3, and the inclination of the front end of the plunger 16 as at 19 is such as to prevent upward movement of the bottom or norm-ally inner end of the buoy when said plunger is projected to eject the buoy fromf the sleeve valve 13.

In order that the rise of the buoy 15 to the surface of the water may be controlled from within the sunken vessel, and in order that the buoy may be returned to the sunken vessel again for subsequent rescue of other occupants of said sunken vessel, a cable 20 is connect-ed atene end to the bottoni or normally inner end of the buoy 15 and extends inwardly therefrom through suit-ably packed openings in the plunger 16 as at E21 and in the inner end of the cylinder 9 as at 22, and the other inner end of this cable is suitably attached to a winding drum 23 suitably mounted in the vessel inwardly of the cylinder 9 as shown. The drinn may be manually operable and suitably controlled for paying ont or winding of the cable Q0'. t is thus apparent that an occupant of the sunken vessel may readily actuate the drum 23 to control ascent ofthe buoy 15 through and to the surface of the water as well as to the effect return of the buoy into the sleeve valve 13 for again being retracted into the cylinder in advance of the plunger 16. To avoid excessive friction, the cable 2O preferably passes between and has friction rollers or guides 2st on the outer end of the plunger 16 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Means is provided for effecting projection of the sleeve valve 13 from within the sunken vessel, and as shown, this means may consist of push rods 25 attached to the inner end of the sleeve valve 13 and extending rearwardly as well as slidably projecting througn openings in the inner end ofthe cylinder 9, the inner ends of the rods 25 being rigidly connected as at 26 and attached to a feed screw 27 having threaded engagement with the hub of a manually or otherwise operable gear 28 that is restrained against movement longitudinally of the cylinder 9 in the direction of movement of the valve 13 and the rods 25. It is thus apparent that when the gear 28 is turned, longitudinal feeding movement of the screw 27 is effected to accordingly project or retract the sleeve valve 13, according to the direction of rotation of the gear 23. As shown, an operating handle 29 is provided upon a shaft geared to thel gear 23 for actuation of the latter.

Manually operable means is also preferably provided for effecting projection or retraction of the plunger 16 from within the sunlren vessel, and as shown, this means preferably embodied a feed screw 39 attached to the inner end of the plunger 16 and projecting inwardly through the inner end of the cylinder 9 as well as having threaded engagement with the hub of a gear 31 suitably journaled inwardly of the cylinder 9 and restrained against shifting in the direction of movement of the plunger 16. The rotation of the gear 31 effects movement of the screw 30 and projection and retraction of the plunger 16 is substantially the same way as explained above in connection with the projection and retraction of the sleeve valve 13, as will be apparent. In this instance, the gear 31 is also operatively connected by a gearing with a shaft having a hand crank 32. The gearing connection between the shaft of the handles 29 and 32 and the gears 2S and 31 are reduction gearings for the purpose of enabling actuation of t-he sleeve valve and plunger by hand power even though the force required is comparatively great in shifting these parts from retracted to projected positions or vice versa.

As shown clearly in Figure 9, the buoy 15 preferably consists of an elongated outer metallic shell 33 which is suitably constructed and braced to properly withstand water pressures below the surface, the shell 33 having a top or end section 311 which is hinged thereto as at 34a to facilitate entrance and exit of persons into or from a habitable water-tight compartment 35 provided within the upper portion of the shell 33 by and within an inner shell 36 Whose bottom or floor 37 is considerably spaced from the lower end of the shell 33 and who-se sides are preferably spaced from the surrounding portions of the shell 33 to provide a further compartment 38 beneath and surrounding the shell 36 entirely closed from communication with the chamber 35. The cover 34 is counterbalanced at 34b to aid in opening the same while another entrance to the chamber 35 is afforded by the side door 35a. The chamber 38 is normally adapted to contain a limited amount of water to act as ballast insuring maintenance of the buoy in an upright position when rising through the water or floating' upon or at the surface thereof. In order that the amount of ballast water may be changed or varied, the chamber 38 is provided with a water inlet pipe 39 at the bottom thereof controlled by a suitable valve 40 having an operating handle 41 within the chamber 35 and on the upper end of the valve stem 42 extending through the floor 37. Further, a discharge pipe 43 leads from the bottom of the chamber 38 into the bottom of the chamber 35 and connects with the inlet of a hand pump 44 which has a .discharge pipe 45 extending outwardly through the side of the shell 33. It is thus apparent that when it is desired to increase the quantity of ballast water contained in the chamber 38, a person within the chamber 35 may open the valve 40 for the required time and to the desired amount, while a decrease in the quantity of ballast water in the chamber 38 may be effected by actuation of the pump 44, especially when the buoy is floating near the surface of the water, the discharge pipe 45 being preferably at or above the water line of the float under normal conditions. lt is noted that discharge of the water from the chamber 38 is especially desirable in order to reduce the weight of the water in the buoy and thereby increase the buoyancy of the latter to facilitate rise of the buoy to the surface. On the other hand, the submergence of the buoy and its return to the sunken vessel will be facilitated without undue application of power to the cable 2O by proper admission of ballast water to the pipe 39 into the chamber 38.

Suitable valve controlled air inlet and foul air outlet pipes 46 and 47 are preferably provided in the chamber 35 and disposed to open through the shell 33 at or adjacent the upper end of the latter below where the section 34 is fastened in place. These are used while the buoy is floating upon the surface of the water `with the inlet and outlet ends of the pipes 46 and 47 disposed above the surface of the water for the safe supply of fresh air and exhaust of foul air from the chamber 35.

A suitable port hole 48 is preferably provided in the upper end of the shell 33 for observation purposes, while an aerial or antenna 49 may be carried by a frame 50 on the outside of the upper shell section 34 for facilitating communication of the occupants of the chamber 35 with distant ships or stations, whereby to secure and `guide assistance to the point or locality where the disaster has occurred, the aerial 49 being connected with a suitable combined wireless sending and receiving set 51 suitably mounted in the chamber 35 as shown. The section 34 of the buoy casing may also carry a lamp 52 for signalling purposes and for the purpose of illumination so that searching parties may be advised of the location of the buoy at night time.

For the purpose of maintaining communication between the occupants of the buoy and those of the sunken vessel, the cable 20 preferably has conductor wires 52 extended therethrough and from the ends thereof to telephone sets within the slinken vessel and within the chamber 35, the telephone set in the chamber 35 being indicated at 53. As shown, the bottom of tie shell 33 is provided with a pair of depending ears 54 which sustains coupling pin or bolt 55 to which the adjacent end of the cable is attached by looping and then binding the same as at 56. This permits convenient leading' of the wires 52 from the adjacent end of the cable 2O to and through a suitable conduit 57 suitably mounted within the shell 33 and leading into one side of the shell 36.

ln use, the parts are normally positioned as in Figure 1 with the buoy 15 disposed on its side within the cylinder 9 and the forward end of the sleeve valve 13 beneath the opening 10. In case of disaster, the door 11 is opened and the section 34 of the shell 33 is removed. A required number of the occupants of the sunken vessel then pass through the opening 10 and the open end of the chamber 35 into the latter, after which the remaining occupants of the sunken vessel apply the section 34 so that it is securely held in place, and then tightly close the door 11. The sleeve valve 13 is then projected to the position of Figure 2 by proper actuation of the gear 28, the plunger 16 being also simultaneously projected by actuation of the gear 31. lVhen the sleeve valve 32 has been sufiicient-ly projected to uncover the opening 13 it is' allowed to remain at rest while the plunger 16 is further projected, thereby causing upward ejection and right-- ing of the buoy as it passes upwardly out of the sleeve valve 13 through the opening 14. The ballast water in the chamber 38 having been properly reduced at some previous time, the buoy 15 will readily rise to the surface of the water, and the occupants of chamber 35 may then make observations through the port hole 48 and insure proper supply and exhaust of air by opening the valves of the pipes 46 and 47. Further, by

llO

will thereby be saved. lVhen a diver subsequently enters the chamber 85 and the buoy is closed and lowered onto the surface ot the water, the telephone is utilized for communication with the remaining occupants ot the sunken vessel. rhrough proper instructions, the cable 2O will be wound upon the drum 23 at the proper time to cause return of the buoy to the sunken vessel for repeated use in successive rescues ot' diliferent members ot the crew and different persons on board the sunken vessel. TWhen the buoy is lowered and drawn into the sleeve valve 13 it may be again retracted together with the )lunger 1G so that the plug 8 closes the opening in the side of the hull 5 whereby the door ll and the buoy may be safely again opened. ln this way, the escape and rescue ot persons in the simi-:en vessel may be accomplished with facility although the sacrifice ot one occupant is necessary, such occupant being required to remain in the sunken vessel Jfor proper projection of the sleeve valve 13 and plunger 1G and paying out oi the cable 20 to cause escape or ejection and proper rise et the buoy l5 to the surface ol' the water. lt particularly noted that the feed screw 30 may be made sui'liciently long to permit the plunger 1G to be projected adjacent the inner end of the buoy, thereby minimizing the amount ot water trapped in the sleeve 13 between operations ot projection and retraction thereotl in the rescue work.

lt is contemplated that a life saving device of this kind be provided at a point or points corresponding to the location or locations of one or more safety compartments of a submarine or other vessel, thus insuring at least one or more devices susceptible to use even though others are destroyed through collision or the like by which the sinlring ot' the vessel may have been brought about.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope o'f the invention as claimed.

' lVhat l claim as new is zl. ln' a marine life saving apparatus, the combination with the hull ot' a vessel having an escape opening, an escape cylinder having an open end fixed to the inside of the hull coincident with said opening of the hull and provided with a lateral entrance opening near its outer end, a water-tight closure for said entrance opening, a sleeve valve slidably i tted in said cylinder and having a plug at its outer end to seat in and close the opening of the hull when said valve is retracted, said sleeve valve having a top buoy exit at its outer end adapted to he uncovered when said sleeve valve is projected outwardly of the escape cylinder and to aline with said entrance opening of the cylinder when said sleeve valve is retracted, and means operable from within the. hull to project or retract said sleeve valve.

2. ln a marine lite saving apparatus, the combination with the hull of a vessel having an escape opening, an escape cylinder having an open end fixed to the inside ot the hull coincident with said opening of the hull and provided with a lateral entrance opening near its outer end, a water-tight closure 'for said entrance opening, a sleeve valve slidably iitted in said cylinder and having a plug at its outer` end to seat in and close the opening ot the hull when said valve is retracted, said sleeve valve having a top buoy exit at its outer end adapted to be uncovered when said sleeve valve is projected outwardly or the escape cylinder and to aline with said entrance opening of the cylinder when said sleeve valve is retracted, means operable 'from within the hull to proejecting plunger sleeve valve. Y

3. ln a marine lite saving apparatus, the combination with the hull of a vesesl having an escape opening, an escape cylinder having an open end fixed to the inside of the hull coincident with said opening of the hull and provided with a lateral entrance open.- ing near its outer end, a water-tight closure for said entrance opening, a sleeve valve slidably tit-ted in said cylinder and having a plug at its outer end to seat in and close the opening or" the hull when said valve is retracted, said sleeve valve having a top buoy enit at its outer end adapted to be uncovered when said sleeve valve is projected outwardly o' the escape cylinder and to aline with said entrance opening of the cylinder when said sleeve valve is retracted, means operable lrom within the hull to project or retract said sleeve valve, and a buoy ejecting plunger slidably mounted in said sleeve valve, the inner end ci' the plug being inclined upwardly and outwardly.

Ll. In marine `lite saving apparatus, the combination with the hull et a vessel having an escape opening, an escape cylinder having an open end lined to the inside ot'the hull incident with said opening of the hull and provided with a lateral entrance opening near its outer end, a water-tight closure for said entrance opening, a sleeve valve slidably fitted in said cylinder and having a plug at its outer end to seat in and close the opening of the hull when said valve is retracted, said sleeve valve having a top buoy exit at its outer end adapted to be uncovered when said sleeve valve is projected outwardly of the escape cylinder and to slidably mounted in said ject or retract said sleeve valve, and a buoy ect aline with said entrance opening of the cylinder When said sleeve valve is retracted, means operable from Within the hull to pror retract said sleeve valve, an escape and rescue buoy positionable in the sleeve valve and adapted to be ejected therefrom, cable means connected to the buoy and operable from Within tne hull to permit the buoy to rise to the surface of the Water when ejected and to return said buoy into the sleeve valve, and means to eject said buoy from said sleeve valve.

5. ln a marine life saving apparatus, the combination with the hull of a vessel having an escape opening, an escape cylinder having an open end fixed to the inside of the hull incident with said opening of the hull and provided with a lateral entrance opening near its outer end, a Water-tight closure for said entrance opening, a sleeve valve slidably fitted in said cylinder and having a plug at its outer end to seat in and close the opening of the hull when said valve is retracted, said sleeve valve having a top buoy enit at its outer end adapted to be uncovered When said sleeve valve is projected outwardly of the escape cylinder and to aline With said entrance opening of the cylinder when said sleeve valve is retracted, means operable from Within the hull to project or retract said sleeve valve, an escape and rescue buoy positionable in the sleeve valve and adapted to be ejected therefrom, cable means connected t-o the buoy and operable from Within the hull to permit the buoy to rise to the surface of the Water when ejected and to return said buoy into the sleeve valve, means to eject said buoyrfrom said sleeve valve, said last named means embodying a plunger slidably litted in the sleeve valve, and means operable from Within the hull to project or retract said plunger.

6. ln a marine life saving apparatus, the combination With the hull of a vessel having an escape opening, an escape cylinder hai/ing an open end fixed to the inside of the hull incident with said opening of the hull and provided With a lateral entrance opening near its outer end, a Water-tight closure for said ent-rance opening, a sleeve valve slidably fitted in said cylinder and having a plug at its outer end to seat in and close the opening of the hull When said valve is retracted, said sleeve valve having a top buoy exit at its outer end adapted to be uncovered when said sleeve valve is projected outwardly of the escape cylinder and to aline with said entrance opening of the cylinder When said sleeve valve is retracted, means operable from Within the hull to project or retract said sleeve valve, an escape and rescue buoy positionable in the sleeve valve and adapted to be ejected therefrom, cable means connected to the buoy and operable from Within the hull to permit the buoy to rise to the surface of the Water when ejected and to return said buoy into the sleeve valve, means to eject said buoy from said sleeve, said buoy having an upper habitable chamber, and a lovver Water ballast chamber', and means operable from Within the habitable chamber to vary the volume of ballast Water in said Water ballast chamber.

7. ln a marine life saving apparatus, the combination With the hullof a vesseL hai/*ing an escape opening, an escape cylinder having an open end fixed to the inside of the hull incident with said opening of the hull and provided with a lateral entrance opening near its outer end, a Water-tight closure for said entrance opening, a sleeve valve slid-ably fitted in said cylinder and having a plug at its outer end to seat in and close the opening of the hull when said valve is retracted, said sleeve `valve having a top buoy exit at its outer end adapted to be uncovered when said sleeve valve is projected outwardly of the escape cylinder and to aline with said entrance opening of the cylinder When said sleeve valve is retracted, means operable from Within the hull to project or retract said sleeve valve, an escape and rescue buoy positionable in the sleeve valve and adapted to be ejected therefrom, cable means connected to the buoy and operable from Within the hull to permit the buoy to rise to the surface of the Water When ejected and to return said buoy into the sleeve valve, means to eject said buoy from said sleeve, said buoy having an upper habitable chamber, and a lower Water ballastchamber, and means operable from Within the habitable chamber to vary the volume of ballast Water in said Water ballast chamber, said last named means embodying a valved Water inlet and a Water discharge pipe having a discharge pump interposed therein.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANK PAUL GUTOWSKI. 

